


Not This Again

by Cruadal



Series: Snapshots [62]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe, Deviates From Canon, Drama, Family, Friendship, Gen, Mild Angst, Mild Language, Modern Era, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Slice of Life, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-13 22:14:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9144589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cruadal/pseuds/Cruadal
Summary: Once upon a time, the worlds liked to bounce the Refugees around like ping pong balls. Kai really hopes it's not happening again. Eli, being the adventurous weirdo he is, might not mind so much. Well, as long as he doesn't lose any more shoes to kleptomaniac Heartless.





	

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter of the new year! Yay! (I've been blocked for months, worst thing ever.)
> 
>  
> 
> Each chapter will carry individual warnings, if necessary, as well as the characters' ages at the time.
> 
> Will probably not be in chronological order for the most part, I write them as they hit me.

** Snapshot #62 **

Warning: Mild Language

Ages: Kai - 21, Eli - 20, Soren - 20, Ronan - 18, Specter - 17, 'Jem - 16

  


  


"He says it stole his lucky sneakers."

Kai let out a sharp laugh at Ronan's announcement, arms tucked under his head as he lay on the grass. "That's what he gets for taking a bath instead of just letting the mud dry in his hair. What's so bad about being dumped in a mud puddle anyway, I thought the kid was Nature Incarnate."

He turned his head to watch as his brother scrolled through the messages on his phone.

"His shirt and jeans were still there, and his socks...he's a little confused."

"I would be too, I've never heard of a Heartless stealing bright red sneakers. Is he sure it _was_ a Heartless? The dork didn't just kick them under a bush or something?"

"Um..."

Ronan paused, tapping out the question, then started scanning the other texts while waiting for a response.

"'Jem says she, Specter and Soren are all fine, no scrapes or anything, although Soren almost punched a guy who hit on Specter."

Kai rolled his eyes. Soren the Honorable Knight. "He'd better have done the same for 'Jem." He muttered, shifting his gaze to the overcast sky. Seemed like it might rain, but not for a few hours yet. Maybe.

"You know he would have." Ronan sounded hurt, then his tone changed as the phone chimed. "Ah! Okay, Eli says...huh. Definitely not under a bush, and while he didn't actually _see_ a Heartless make off with them, he remembers seeing _something_ black nearby while he was in the water."

"Great, now the Heartless steal shoes. Remind me to hang mine from a branch the next time I'm bathing in a lake, okay?"

Ronan shook his head, then sighed. "So should I tell them we'll meet up tomorrow, or..." He trailed off.

Kai didn't have to give that much thought. The girls and Soren would probably be okay where they were for one night. Eli, on the other hand...

"Something might eat the Epic Dork if we leave him on his own, plus I'm not real happy with how we got here in the first place. Didn't Eli say that the last world shift was when he was two?"

"Somewhere around there," Ronan agreed, eyeing his phone as Kai sat up. "You don't think-"

"I don't know what I think yet, except we need to get home and see if this affected anyone else. Compare notes. This better have been some weird hiccup, because we have enough to deal with. _They_ have enough."

Kai's voice hardened at that last, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ronan flinch.

"Ro-"

"You're afraid Sedge might be behind it, aren't you? ...You could just give me back, you know. That would solve a lot of problems."

Kai's head jerked around at that, and he stared open-mouthed at his brother before managing to speak.

"Don't start that self-sacrifice crap again. I thought Ray talked to you about that ages ago."

" _Aunt_ Ray." Ronan corrected him, as always. "She did. But it's not as though things have gotten better and-"

"And they'll get even worse if you go with him." Kai pointed out, scooting over to throw his arm around Ronan in a hug. "For all of us. We love you, remember? You're not just _my_ kid brother anymore."

Ronan grinned suddenly. "Not Soren's, obviously."

Kai groaned, shifting to bury his face against Ronan's shoulder.

"Ugh, Ro..."

Laughing, Ronan shrugged him off. "I'm sorry. I think Eli's sense of humor is rubbing off on me."

"Wonderful, Epic Dork cooties." Kai grumbled, then reached over to take the phone from him. "I'll let them know we're coming before dark. Won't be hard to find them, Eli and 'Jem are two of the brightest people I've ever felt."

Besides his aunt and uncle, anyway.

Ronan smiled, getting to his feet. "And I'm the third?"

Kai glanced up from his text, eyebrows raised.

"Well, it's sure as hell not me, Mr. Cinnamon Roll. No more thoughts of giving up, all right? Whatever's going on, we'll get through it. And _if_ that idiot's behind it, we'll take care of it without any heroic bullshit, okay? I don't want to watch your boyfriend angst forever, it's hard enough watching him be a sap."

Ronan laughed and made a gesture over his chest.

"Cross my heart."


End file.
